the Blueprints of a Political Campaign

April 15 had a fine combination of guests discussing what goes on in a political campaign. Lourd and Gang didn't have the luxury of DJ Andy or Ryan to control the board but the fates provided us with a better option. Legendary activist-musician, Noel Cabangon pinch-hit and brought his guitar! He generously decided to make up for our technical dent by playing LIVE music instead. (...pag sinwerte nga naman....)

Mr. Chris Belardo is a veteran advertising specialist. He described himself as a glorified salesman. Chris was involved in several large-scale Senatorial campaigns in the past, one of which is the famed Mr. Palengke campaign. Chris describes the job of a campaign team. Sometimes they 'market' the candidate as a brand because it serves for better retention. Mas na-aalala. It's important for him to note that fortunately, there are several campaign teams that really believe in the candidates that they 'sell' ...but reality is always multi-dimensional. So the truth is there are several campaign managers that, despite their lack of faith in the candidate, still proceed (with trumpets) to media-blast that their candidate is 'the best.' Minsan trabaho lang kasi talaga yon. But it's good to witness that the voting population is changing, the attitude is different --we are slowly becoming more intelligent voters. ("...mga one hundred years pa..") Chris mourns the bygone era of real statesmen, when politics was the arena of the summa cum laudes, bar topnotchers, the intelligent and noblest among us. Mentioned here is the late Sen. Jose Diokno. Grandfather of another guest present, Jose "Pepe" Diokno III.
Pepe is a film maker and a writer for the Super section of the Inquirer. He insists that a relevant majority of young (should-be) voters are not even registered. This is a reflection of the massive wave of indifference that prevails among us. Many callers commented that the indifference stems from the lack of trust in politicians, that also roots itself in the widespread corruption in higher (and lower) administrative offices. Sabi ni Pepe, tama na angst dahil napaka-90s nun. Aksyon muna. Participate.
Lourd posed a question that how come even if someone spends a tremendous amount of money on a media blitz, he or she is still not guaranteed to win? If the war is about exposure and media savvy-ness, then why is 'the biggest spender' still not in the magic 12 slots of survey-winning candidates? Noel Cabangon interjects that perhaps it is not enough that popularity is boosted, it is because those candidates have not earned their niches or have not really produced anything concrete regarding nation-building. Eh baka wala pa silang nagagawa kasi. Walang track record. The subject of dynasties came up in this light. Minsan wala pang ginagawa ang mga kandidato pero dahil matunog at malutong ang apelyido nila, maari silang manalo. Gang of Rock Ed shares that according to a Julio Teehankee article she came across -'for some 16o families, the two Houses of Phil. Congress have practically been home for the last century. These families have had two or more members who have served in Congress, and they account for nearly 1/4 of the men and women who have been elected to national lawmaking from 1907-2004. Political clans have been an enduring feature of our political scenario. And in the light of this topic, ang apelyido ay minsan ang nagdadala ng kampanya ng isang kandidato--hindi ang abilidad.

The Rock Ed volunteer research team looked for and FOUND a copy of the historic MAMBO MAGSAYSAY jingle from the 50's. Their research also showed that it was one of the first western-styled campaign methods in the Philippines. Dati ata bigayan lang ng manok, gulay, o baboy. Sabay kamayan, pakain tapos painom. Pero siguro nga dahil 'cream of the crop' naman ang tumatakbo talaga noon, ang kampanya ay labanan ng resume at ng nagawa.

Chris shared that gone are the days of big, live rallies and house to house campaigns for national positions. Wala na masyado yung nakikipagkamay sa mga tao, sa mga lakaran sa kalye at pa-kaway kaway sa lipon ng mga tao sa sidewalk. Mas cost effective daw kung gumastos na lang para sa radyo, TV, at iba pang forms of media to campaign. And the whole point (sadly) of campaigning is to really get the most votes. Gang says it's not anymore about the whole point of elections which is 'participation and choice.' Beauty contest na talaga ang elections, kadalasan.
Sabi ni Pepe ang panget, talo. Chaka may nag comment na mali naman ata ang maglagay ng lipstick sa isang senatorial candidate para lang mas makulay ang poster picture nya. Tawanan lahat kasi lahat pala kami napansin yung lipstick na yun... (baka naman Photoshop error lang daw, ika ni Chris) Pero may pahabol na comment --"Sino ang mas delikado iboto, ang matalino o ang bobo?" Natahimik kami lahat sandali. Sabi ng over-all, baka mas okey na yung matalino kasi judgment call minsan ang bottom line. Pero madami din naman daw bobo na nananalo (si Pepe na naman yun, mentioning of names...susmaryosep) ...at baka naman matalino (o wa-is) sila sa ibang bagay. Tulad ng? Saka na daw pag usapan ang corruption, sa ibang radio show na lang.... (bobo ba daw ang nag lipstick? --nakakatawa mga comments ng listeners, panalo) Si Noel naka experience ng isang nag imbita sa kanyang kumanta sa isang for-free-and-honest-elections concert. Pero, it turns out, campaign pala yon for someone running. So madalas nagagamit talaga ang musician o artista sa mga kampanya. Mga kandidatong nag aakala may kamukha silang artista (ngeh) ay nakikisakay sa popularity nung mga showbiz para ma-alala ng botante. How sad that all their goal is for their name to be remembered and written on a ballot. Whatever happened to clearly stating your platform and what you stand for? Aah, meron pa naman daw na ganun. Pero mas priority yung ma-alala ang pangalan. Saka na platform, teka ano ba...
Noel says he will campaign and he has been campaigning thru his music for a party-list he believes in, he also performs now for campaigns of candidates he would like to see hold office. He realizes the power of music in this arena and has decided to use it for, what he deems, as the right causes to push. Sana lahat ng musicians magkaroon ng ganito ka-linaw na pananaw at desisyon pag dating sa kanilang music. At sana malaya lahat ng musician mag decide kung saan at paano gagamitin ang kanilang mga kanta. (ehem ehem, mga manager daw at radio stations din... ika ni Pepe)
Hindi ito verbatim pero ika ni Lourd 'kung armado ang botante sa tamang pag iisip at masinop na pagre-research tungkol sa mga kumakandidato, hindi tayo kayang anuhin ng kung sino mang manggogoyo na politiko...'

Sa Rock Ed campaign for poverty-awareness at sa political campaigns, nakita ko na ang lakas ng sandata ng musika. It is really a smart weapon of choice.

So, matanong lang namin, what is your weapon of choice and what are you fighting against?

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